Doing What We Do Best

Rocking the Micklem

Fun day! C-rage's first personal bridle (ever) showed up and I was beyond excited to play with it. I found a steal on a used Micklem bridle, so I went that route for now. I've had one before, but for a totally different type and size of horse.

My initial impression was that this is the first time I've actually put something on his head that fit. I also think that he has a great face for it. I think they're kind of hit and miss stylistically, but Courage's long, narrow head takes the busyness of a figure eight or micklem really well.

Naturally, I threw on our super classy sparkle browband that I love. I even changed the bead string for fall. :-)

Looking good

We skipped the lunging and went straight to some basic flatwork. There is nothing magical about a new bridle--the little dude is still learning to go forward into contact, but we found a lovely compromise today.

Well... that is, he sort of started rooting the reins out of my hands and stretching down to the buckle while still trotting uphill. I'd like to find a middle ground, but this is better than going around like a giraffe, so I'll take it for now.

Like a little badass

And then we jumped!! Truth: we haven't jumped in probably a week just due to random stuff, so I was a little nervous headed to our first fence. It was a baby crossrail and I totally overrode it. He jumped the snot out of it and landed going forward. I had this tense moment of "OH NO HE'S GOING TO BUCK ME OFF" (random Izzy flashback), but he just cantered nicely.

I love this horse.

He's got this.

After that, we trotted around and popped over everything I'd left set in the arena. Baby x, bigger x, little vertical. I thought he might be a little wiggly or weird about it, but I swear he's already looking for his fences and saving my butt.

As you can see, he's also not that impressed by our baby x any more. Bugger is just cantering across it. I certainly don't want to scare him by moving up to quickly, but I think it's safe to say we can throw in some more verticals and bump the heights up a little bit.

Oh, and maybe add some complexity--baby grid, anyone? I'm getting excited.

Just the biggest vertical we've ever jumped

I'm trying to mix it up and keep his jumps busy so that decorations are never scary or surprising, but when you two-months-post-track OTTB is this awesome, it's hard to be concerned.

I mean, I'm not trying to brag, but I'm still surprised by how great the little man comes out, every.single.day. He's here to work, he wants to be the best at his job, and he gives me 110%, every single time. He certainly has an opinion and likes to mouth off, but at the end of the day, he wants me to be happy with him.

What more can I ask?

Challenge is ON!

Oh, and there's this. After JUMPING ALL THE THINGS, redheadlins and I two pointed around the arena and chatted. I was on a loopy rein, he was totally relaxed. Unfortunately, we don't have pictures of me leaning off his side to take pictures of Lins and her ride from a better angle.

Little man is a stud.

I guess I just don't understand when thoroughbreds get a bad reputation. Sure, there are stupid ones, but I've spent most of my riding life in the irons on one TB or another. They are the hardest working and most generous horses and they always want to please. I'm sure my experience is biased by riding awesome horses (since you can't all have a Cuna), but I'd take Cuna, Courage, or the OTTB I grew up on over any warmblood I've ever ridden any where. Thoughts? Crazy OTTBs out there to contradict me?

Here We Go!

As you may have noticed, Hilary and L. Williams are hosting this year's round of the Two Point Challenge. I wasn't going to participate, given that my ride is a whopping two months off the track.

But then I realized that my riding really needs it. Plus I have a buddy to do it with. Plus if there's anything a racehorse can do, it's let people two point over him.

Because we're badass

So we're in. We took our baseline time today in the cold blowing wind. The little man was perfect and I shocked myself by getting 5:38 for my start time. Yikes. I'm going to have to bust my butt to get most improved.





Possibly the most interesting video in the world:


Not only was the little man a star to two point around on, but he's also feeling GREAT post bodywork. The practitioner said it would take him a while to really trust the adjustments, and yeah. He's like a different horse, but his brain is just as awesome as ever. I am loving his new willingness to reach out and cover ground with those long legs of his. Winning!!

Who else is down for the two point challenge? Am I the only one on a green horse?